Make no mistake, Hogan-Andre was a dream match for that generation of wrestling, and a true torch-passing moment. MIKE MURPHY. Steamboat was your prototypical hero a returning favorite who had conquered the evil perennial champ all while showcasing his folksy values and mat expertise. Its an identity. The Wyatt Family at Elimination Chamber 2014 over delivered even the wildest expectations. Billed as a battle between the two best pure athletes in WWE history, the match felt appropriately Olympics-esque (by way of Vince McMahon's pro wrestling circus, of course), with both guys mixing mat wrestling with devastating suplexes. It was his big debut in a big American company. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon: 1994 10 of 15 Many still. After a trilogy of matches that changed sports-entertainment forever, Flair earned the respect of all that had despised him. Put him against The Excellence of Execution and you get one of the top 30 matches in WWE history. Its one of those moves where every time you watch it you dont remember how bad it was. This was about as pure a tag team match as youre going to find. I put enormous pressure on myself to come through, and I thought I had the best all-around performer in the business in Edge to try to do that with. By the end, both men were busted open (There is literally nothing better than the overhead camera looking down on that red-stained, baby-blue ring mat) and their exhaustion was tangible and harrowing. "Kurt came with a reputation. @JOEYSTYLES, Every Superstar in the locker room is a fan at heart, but Bayley was always a little more outward about it than others. solid block of Midwestern muscle mass that looked like he was summoned to life from Vince McMahon's dreams. In a years-long rivalry that spanned two continents, Tanaka and Awesome took their hostility toward each other to new heights with their ruthless brawl at Heat Wave 1998. High-flying NXT Champion Neville battled three worthy competitors the world-renowned Sami Zayn, the self-absorbed Tyler Breeze and "Natties husband," the overconfident Tyson Kidd in the NXT Arena in the brand's first Fatal 4-Way Match. However, the debut of The Devil's Favorite Demon, as iconic as it was, shouldn't overshadow one of the most brutal confrontations in either The Phenom's or HBK's legendary careers. The highest-rated NXT match on this list saw Almas and Gargano give absolutely everything they had as they did battle for the NXT Championship. He had retired and it was very unceremonious and under the radar. There was this kid I grew up with who came over to watch WrestleMania 13. TOM HERRERA. Yes, you read that right. Spring Stampedes No Disqualification main event was the perfect marriage of Randy Savage at his unhinged best and DDP at his absolute scrappiest. There was a sudden respect because he had just gone through years of learning in one night. There, the notorious Roddy Piper went head-to-head with Greg Valentine in an infamous Dog Collar Match. "The best thing was, after the match, walking into a locker room with a bunch of guys who'd been in the business for many years and were big stars, standing up and giving this guy a standing ovation. If every championship match in WWE showed this kind of reverence, no one would ever feel like a loser in the end. In many ways, Shawn Michaels was the perfect wrestler. Any "best of" list is bound to stir up opinions; this one is no different. They both must have been proud after this one. If there was a giveaway that was the end, that was it. Except fanswere ready for it, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time after a decade of hair metal. Announcers Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross had trouble keeping up with the action as the teams launched tables and chairs at each other. This was before the internet, so it's likely that many regional fans weren't familiar with Flair. The highest-rated episode of Raw ever (8.1) saw Commissioner Shawn Michaels book a bunch of bizarre matches such as Big Show vs. Paul Bearer, Cactus Jack vs. Mideon & Viscera in a hardcore match, Bradshaw vs. Farooq in a lumberjack match and the Mean Street Posse vs. Patterson & Brisco in a Loser Leaves WWE match. 1 contender was no slouch, having previously claimed the WCW Cruiserweight Championship on two separate occasions. I bruised my sternum, because I did the running knee in the corner and hit my sternum because I was literally moving faster than I ever had before. Christian's been around a long time and Randy Orton's a third-generation Superstar who is so natural. From a crash-and-burn standpoint, no, it was not going to be like that. Any of the above can make a match one of the best ever. By the time Rhyno helped Christian get the titles back for him and his buddy, the WWE Universe was both thrilled to see the champs retain and relieved that the mayhem was finally over. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk are two of the greatest "Paul Heyman Guys," both in real life and in storyline terms. But this match is among the greatest not just because it was fresh for the time, but because it still works to this day. He seemed to be becoming this main event-caliber guy, which is weird to think about in the perspective of 1991. Ricky Steamboat and "Ravishing" Rick Rude showed that at Beach Blast 1992. In particular, the TLC match consisting of the Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz, and Edge & Christian is arguably one of the most superb matches in WWE history. ANTHONY BENIGNO. But it wasnt just the personal drama that made this one of the best Intercontinental Title Matches of all time. The run-up to this match included some of the greatest hairdos and outfits ever worn in wrestling history, and the match certainly lived up to such sartorial expectations. The Rock is one of the greatest feuds in WWE history because it featured one-half of the proverbial "Mount Rushmore of Pro Wrestling." The inaugural ladder-wrecking melee was chock-full of daring and innovative maneuvers, many of which were executed by the uber-agile Shelton Benjamin. They needed each other and wrestling wouldnt be what it is today without 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock, and this match was the culmination of that." For me to be involved in that thing was a great honor, especially with the way Sting was loved by the people, it was crazy. He knew I'd been Cactus Jack, but had no idea that there was this Dude Love character I'd wanted to be when I was 17 or 18 years old. It's one of those magic things where its hard to point out why it worked so well. With the 38th edition of Wrestlemania on the horizon, we've assembled our ranking of the 25 best Wrestlemania matches ever, all of which can be watched on Peacock. Luger ultimately lost via count-out leaving the ring to save The Stinger from a Horsemen attack but he emerged as both a hero to the people and a legitimate big-time player. Watching these two certified WWE Hall of Famers duke it out at Chi-Town Rumble should be near the top of every WWE fans bucket list. He was like that anywhere he went, but he stood out like a sore thumb in WCW. Has there ever been a better coming-out party in WWE history than that of The Shield? The match built from a grinding start to a controversial crescendo that involved a second referee and a split-second decision. "Jerry Lynn was amazing and we just have this chemistry where we both push ourselves and each other," RVD has told WWE.com. I got a little overwhelmed seeing the magnitude of the occasion, being in the Garden, having The Rock as my tag team partner and a legend like Ric Flair as my opponent. His back was in terrible condition. chant. What if we had a real [rivalry] heading into a pay-per-view? @JOEYSTYLES, In front of more than 70,000 fans in the Georgia Dome, two Superstars who defined an era clashed in an epic No Holds Barred Match. Go in there, do your thing and feel it.' Dont worry, you can watch the entire event, uninterrupted on WWE Network. "To get to start that match off was awesome. It wasn't your typical 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. That was the question on the minds of many in the WWE Universe throughout the winter of 2014. Triple H was a guy who was able to bring out the best in me, and thats one of the hallmarks of a great opponent. The 1987 WWE fanbase had been conditioned to watching 6'5 giants with outlandish gimmicks take turns punching each other, with the biggest move being a bodyslam. Thats how I learned by listening to these guys, my mentors. He wasn't aware of the stories behind the characters. Although Hell in a Cell brought out the very best, and the very worst, in The Cerebral Assassin, The Undertaker ultimately sealed the victory with a Tombstone Piledriver as a weary HBK made the three-count that ended an era. I was in denial, but couldnt help but agree with those feelings. Randy Savage and DDP go hardcore, Ultimo Dragon and Yuji Nagata light up Las Vegas, Chris Jericho endures a struggle with Gedo and the Nature Boy brawls with Mr. It's easy to forget, but Austin was once one of the world's best workers. This one hurts, but tough choices must be made. The speedy and technically-gifted Kurt Angle gave Brock Lesnar some of the toughest tests of his career, the most memorable of which was their rivalry-defining classic at WrestleMania XIX. Summerslam 2002 4. Flair for the WWE Championship would be enough of a draw for most fans, this was McMahon Land after all, so the two were also feuding over Flair's less-than-gentlemanly treatment of Miss Elizabeth, who Flair "dated" before Savage ("She was mine before she was yours!"). DEAN AMBROSE, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, As the old adage goes: "Its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.". This was the biggest match in my career and probably the last time that my heart was completely in being in the ring. First, it has to be a greatmatch, not just a great spectacle. But you can't teach chemistry; you either have it or don't. Years before ECW mastered the in-your-face, crash-TV style of wrestling, these two teams introduced it to the world, as the rivalry between The Midnight Express and The Fantastics exploded in a vicious brawl. It came down to best friends-turned-archrivals, and HBK in just his second match after a back injury forced him into retirement four years earlier silenced Triple H's title reign with some Sweet Chin Music. Its also the ideal moment in WCW history modern enough to feel vital but old enough to still feel totally raw. In a display of true grace and sportsmanship, the competitors emotionally embraced after the unforgettable match. We must acknowledge that Benoit's heinous actions in 2007 puts a huge black cloud on this match, but taken in isolation this is truly one of the greatest WWE matches in history. At the end of the match youre assuming this is the last match that either of these two guys will ever have, and neither of these two guys will ever get up again." SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. Unforgiven 2006 15. But within a few minutes of the bell ringing, Smith was blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But by the time his third match against Ricky Steamboat for the World Title came around, fans just couldnt deny how great "The Nature Boy" was inside the ring. came to a head at Starrcade 1985 in an "I Quit" Steel Cage Match. Before you get out your pitchforks (or perhaps we should say "steel chairs"? WWE Iron Man matches dont happen often, especially on weekly TV programming. "The Dragon" knew how Flairs stylin and profilin was a source of confidence and pride. But if you're looking for sports-entertainment nirvana, you'll never get closer than this. When considering the greatest rivals of The Man Called Sting not named Ric Flair, one person comes to mind: Big Van Vader. Absolute scrappiest the WCW Cruiserweight Championship on two separate occasions in storyline terms up so. 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